Dačić on the visa liberalisation for Kosovo and Metohija: This is sending a bad message to Belgrade, they are clearly partial to Pristina
The OSCE Ministerial Council begins today in Lodz, Poland. Today and tomorrow, over 50 Ministers of Foreign Affairs will discuss the most important political matters and challenges.
This is another opportunity for Minister Dačić to warn the global public about what is happening in Kosovo and Metohija.
In his latest statement, Albin Kurti states that the dialogue with Belgrade is not his priority, denies the existence of the Brussels Agreement, and swears to the members of the National Assembly that he would never establish a Community of Serb Municipalities and that he is not interested in doing it.
“The international community should be much more worried about this than Belgrade. Kurti is openly spitting on the integrity of the EU, as the Brussels Agreement was signed by Catherine Ashton and Hashim Thaçi. It's in the interest of the EU to preserve its authority”, said Minister Dačić in Lodz for the Radio Television Serbia (RTS).
He also emphasises that the issue of selective attitudes arises when it is taken into account that Pristina will always be rewarded for its unconstructive conduct and unilateral actions - such as the decision on visa liberalisation, or applying for EU membership,while those who have acted properly, like Serbia, are being threatened.
“This indicates who is their favourite. It clearly shows that they are partial to Pristina, regardless of the truth, justice or principles. This is sending a very bad message to us, showing that the double standards are still very present”, said Minister Dačić.
Minister Dačić highlights that OSCE, which consists of 57 Member States, is one of the organisations of which Yugoslavia was one of the founders, and Serbia used to be its Chair.
“However, the main subject is the territorial integrity of Ukraine. I’m ready to applaud when Ukraine says that Crimea and Donbas are Ukraine, but I don’t believe I would be applauded when I say that Kosovo is Serbia”, states Minister Dačić.
“By refusing to implement the provisions of the agreement, Pristina is paralysing the dialogue”
He stresses that Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the largest European countries were gathered in Poland - from the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, to Canada, and the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States, Victoria Nuland.
Minister Dačić also emphasised that he had pointed out the problems Belgrade was facing - such as the refusal to implement the provisions of the agreement, which completely paralysed any possibility of progress in the dialogue - to High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. “We cannot talk about any new agreements while throwing away the previous ones”, said Minister Dačić.
Asked how Serbia could prevent Pristina from applying for membership and candidate country status in EU, Minister Dačić replied that Serbia could not prevent any membership of an organisation of which it was not a Member State.
“We are not a EU Member State, and Member States are voting on it. Five of them do not recognize Kosovo, while Hungary, which does, has said it would not vote for Kosovo's admission”, stated Minister Dačić.
Minister Dačić also said that Pristina would claim that this application had nothing to do with its status, but that they want to gain the candidate country status
“If they do that, they will destroy the negotiations. What could we negotiate about if they are given the candidate country status? This would mean they are also recognised as an independent state”, stated Minister Dačić.
Source: RTS